Project Summary/Abstract Project Title: Establishing a Produce Safety Program in the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) to Enhance Produce Safety and Promote Compliance with the FDA Produce Safety Rule (PSR). Project Description: This proposal outlines the NCDA&CS plan to establish a Produce Safety Program that includes industry and regulator outreach, education, and technical assistance to industry and regulators; in addition to inspection, compliance and enforcement components. This proposal will detail the collaborations and processes to accomplish goals under Competitions A and B of this funding announcement (PAR -16 - 137). Project Goals: Establish a Produce Safety Program that encourages the safe production of fresh fruits and vegetables, fosters industry understanding of regulatory requirements, and promotes compliance with the requirements of the PSR. Project Objectives: 1. Complete an assessment to evaluate NC produce landscape and a self- assessment of available resources to determine produce safety program size and scope. 2. Establish a mechanism to develop and maintain an inventory of farms subject to the PSR. 3. Invest in NCDA&CS infrastructure. 4. Evaluate existing statutory and/or regulatory authority. 5. Provide education, outreach, and technical assistance to the farming community and regulators. 6. Design and implement an inspection, compliance and enforcement program. 7. Develop a multi-year strategy to achieve ongoing programmatic objectives. Expected Outcomes: The development of a Produce Safety Program that utilizes partnerships to leverage the expertise and knowledge of NCDA&CS, FDA, and collaborators such as North Carolina State University to enhance industry compliance with the rule. Budget: Total 5 year budget for Tier 3 Program: $5,310,000